Vic puppy laws could limit search dogs

They also believe prices for household pets will skyrocket thanks to onerous new council restrictions aimed at stopping illegal puppy farmers.

Search and Rescue Dogs Australia's Julie Cowan says limits on puppy numbers and a costly enforcement regime would force them out of business.

"It'd be devastating for us breeders who are trying to supply a specific gene pool for working dogs, and supplying them to all service agencies, government agencies," Ms Cowan told reporters on Tuesday.

The labrador breeder said Victoria Police and the army looked for specific types of dogs, and new laws would limit how many she could supply.

"They would probably go somewhere else, and may not get as good a quality (of) dogs," Ms Cowan said.

Dogs Victoria is concerned the new laws will add a further layer of costly rules to breeders trying to do the right thing, but won't crack down on illegal backyard breeders.